Moistening device.



A. A. WILEY.

MOISTENING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 18. L915.

ALEXANDER A. WILEY, 0F BANNOCK, OHIO.

MOISTENING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented (Bot. 26, T9915.

Application filed August is, 1915. Serial No. 46,171. I

The general object of my invention is the I provision of a very simple moistening device including a roller normally dipping into a water tank and also including means for keeping an excess of water from this roller.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby clean water may be always in contact with the absorbent medium with which the roller contacts so that the roller cannot become fouled.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby the roller may be continuously rotated so that large numbers of envelops may be readily moistened by contact with the roller.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of m improved moistener, the roller being shown in elevation and partly broken away; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section through the cap 6 and the adjacent wall of the container 3; Fig. 4: is a fragmentary sectional perspective view of a portion of the cap and theadjacent side wall, showing the manner in which the shaft 4: passes through the cap and side wall.

Referring to these figures it will be seen that my device comprises a base 2 of any suitable construction provided with screw holes whereby it may be attached to a desk, shelf, or other supporting structure. Mounted upon this base is a water container 3 which may be made of glass, metal, or other suitable material,- and journaled in e of other material and hollow if die sired. The shaft 4 is disposed at the upper edge of the container or receptacle 3 so that the roller will project a considerable distance above the top of the receptacle, and resting upon the receptacle and holding the shaft of the roller in place is a cap 6 which has an elongated opening in it through which the roller projects, and. which is flanged at its edges as at 7 so as to rest upon the upper end of the receptacle 3 and project down inside the upper margin of. the receptacle so as to hold the cap firmly in place. This cap will prevent the entrance of dirt or dust into the receptacle.

Disposed within the receptacle is an absorbent member 8 which preferably is a rubber sponge. This rubber sponge contacts with the face or periphery of the roller 5. The receptacle 3 is formedat one end with an inlet pipe 9 and at its other end with an outlet pipe 10 slightly below the level of pipe 9. The inlet pipe 9 is adapted to be connected to any constant source of water supply and as fast as the water flows in it is carried ofiby means of the outlet pipe. Thus there is a continuous supply of fresh water through the receptacle 3.

The shaft 4, while it may be rotated by hand,is preferably operatively connected in;

any suitable manner to means whereby the shaft may be continuously rotated, as for instance, it may be connected to a small electric motor, the motor being geared down so that the shaft will rotate at a relatively slow speed, or it may be connected to any other motor, asfor instance a wei htor spring motor, so that the shaft may be retated. at a slow speed.

It will be understood that the periphery of the roller does not come in contact directly with the water but with the rubber sponge so that an excess of water is not carried up by the roller 5 which is a common fault of moisteners of this type. Anexcess of water simply washes the mucilage or other adhesive 0d the flaps of envelops and off ofstamps, or if it is used for moistening the fingers, makes the fingers too moist. Furthermore, it will be noted that as the water is constantly changing within the water container the water will not become fouled. However, it is possible to use this this water receptacle 3 is a shaft 4: carrying upon it a roller 5. This roller is preferably lass and is solid though it might be construction without having a continuous circulation therein by closing the inlet and outlet pipes by plugs. In this of course the water will have to be put into'the receptacle by hand and removed from time to time. It is desirable to have a continuous vice is used for moistening the fingers, as thus the unsanitary condition of moistening the fingers with dirty water is entirely avoided.

Attention is particularly called to the fact that labor is very greatly saved by my device as it does away with the necessity of wiping the flaps of envelops with a sponge and only requires the envelop to be held against the roller as it is rotated. The work is done very rapidly and the device is particularly sanitary.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim-is:

1. A moistener including a water container, a roller rotatably mounted in said container, and means for causing a constant circulation of water through the container.

2. A moistening device comprising a con tainer having a base, a roller having a shaft rotatably mounted at the upper end of the walls of the container, a cap having a slot through which the roller projects, said cap detachably resting upon the container, motor operated means for rotating the roller, and means for causing a constant circulation of water within the container, said means including an outlet pipe and an inlet pipe.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. ALEXANDER A. WILEY. l Vitnesses ELZA T. CLARK, A. 1%. BROWN. 

